Empty Stocking Fund: Single mom working to get back on her feet

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Moving and starting over is never easy. Moving and providing a Christmas for two children on your own is nearly impossible.

One St. Augustine single mom is trying to provide Christmas for her kids but has asked The St. Augustine Record’s Empty Stocking Fund for a little assistance this year.

“My job started cutting hours and I wasn’t able to pay my rent. We had to move and we were staying in a hotel and friend’s house for about a month. We just got another place in October. It took everything I had to get us into our place. My money has not been right for months, and (after) paying first and last (month’s) rent, deposits for water and electricity has been one struggle after another. After all this, my kids are growing out of all their clothes and colder months are coming,” writes this mother.

You can help this friend or neighbor by donating to the Empty Stocking Fund. We all know the holiday season is a difficult time for many. The Empty Stocking Fund was started in 1986 to help families at Christmas time. In 2012, we helped 1,024 families and distributed more than $100,000 in food and merchandise to residents of St. Johns County.

Here’s how to donate, checks and cash only:

■ Drop off at The Record building, corner of S.R. 312 and S.R. 207 between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays

■ St. Johns County Utility Department is also selling paper stockings to their employees and customers for a donation of $1 per stocking. The stockings will be hung in their offices in St. Augustine and Ponte Vedra.

■ The St. Johns County Property Appraiser’s Office, 4030 Lewis Speedway, Room 203, at the courthouse complex will also be selling paper stockings for a $1 donation. The stockings will be hung in their offices.

All checks should be made payable to Empty Stocking Fund. All donations are published in The St. Augustine Record daily from Thanksgiving through the end of the year.

The Empty Stocking Fund is a registered 501(c)(3) organization so all donations are tax-deductible.

The St. Augustine Record accepts donations for the Empty Stocking Fund year-round.